The bat — also known as the ‘paddle’ or ‘racket’ — is the most vital piece of equipment for every table tennis player. It’s crucial that you appreciate the role your table tennis bat plays in your development as a player, as well as the importance of maintaining it for both training and matches.
A High Quality Bat is Essential
Using the right equipment is necessary for maximising performance in anything — sport is no exception. A builder can use a drill, or a power drill. A writer can use a pen and paper, or a word processor. In both cases the benefits of an equipment upgrade warrant the relatively small additional investment. The same principle applies in table tennis — so long as you know what really defines an ‘upgrade’.
As with other racket sports, the standard of table tennis equipment ranges. The problem is, poor quality bats look very similar in appearance to other, better quality bats. Some of the worst performing bats on the market come in attractive packaging and are sold by the most reputable general sports outlets. But you should be aware that renowned sports brands and shops do not dominate professional table tennis; it’s a specialist sport!
In other words, it’s all too easy to make a wrong turn and wind up playing with a table tennis bat that doesn’t enable you to realise your true potential. Poor quality rubbers and blades will hamper your ability to execute intricate shots, and stunt your development as a player.
Table tennis is sport where precision means everything. So the smallest of margins can be the difference between success and failure. Therefore it’s pivotal that you use a high quality bat in order to be suitably-equipped to master the basic techniques and strokes. Along with sustained practice, this will give you the best chance of improving your performance in games.
Custom or Premade? What’s Best?
Generally speaking custom-made bats offer unrivalled quality, flexibility and performance. Both club and high-level table tennis players opt to build their own bats, catered to their precise requirements.
Most premade bats are produced with low-quality blades & rubbers and will not suffice for any serious player. These bats are often heavy, tough to play with, and come with (non-removable) rubbers that aren’t capable of producing the spin or speed needed to compete against experienced players.
However, there are some downsides to creating a custom bat. Selecting the right components for your bat, maintaining it, and adapting it to suit your ability/style is a skill in its own right. In the modern game its a significant part of player development and tournament preparations.
Furthermore, building a custom bat can be very costly. The parts are expensive, and rubber/blade combinations are difficult to perfect. Custom bats therefore aren’t a viable option for every player. But that’s where we come in…
Pre-Assembled Bats From Expert Table Tennis
At ETT we provide a solution for developing players: pre-assembled, custom-quality table tennis bats.
Every component that makes up the Palio-ETT range has been carefully selected by experts in the game to suit players of various levels. The bats come pre-assembled, ready to use immediately. This provides a simple, cost-effective alternative to building a custom bat from scratch.
You can learn more on : Premade vs. Custom Table Tennis Bats — What’s Best?